Saturday, January 23, 2010

Defense News ~ WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) has won an order valued at $324 million to provide France with a mid-life upgrade of its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), the Pentagon said on Friday. The E-3 AWACS Sentry aircraft is based on a Boeing 707 airframe and is used by the United States, Britain, France, NATO and Saudi Arabia.The Pentagon informed Congress about the possible AWACS sale to France in September 2008 as part of an effort to maintain full interoperability with U.S. and other NATO coalition partners. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa)

Defense News ~ NEW YORK, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines [ETHA.UL] has ordered 10 Boeing Co's (BA.N) Next-Generation 737-800s for a total price of $767 million, the airline and aircraft maker said on Friday.Ethiopia Airlines will invest in additional airplanes to expand its fleet and broaden its network, the companies said.In 2009, Ethiopian Airlines became the first African carrier to order and operate the ultra-long-range 777-200LR model. It also was the first African carrier to order the 787 Dreamliner, with 10 new planes ordered in 2005.Ethiopian Airlines is an all-Boeing operator.The airline operates five 737-700s and two 737-800s. Ethiopian also operates nine 757s, 10 767s and one MD-11BCF (a Boeing Converted Freighter), with a second MD-11BCF arriving in August.

Defense News ~ NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - 01/22/10) - Pilot Felix Baumgartner announced today his intention to expand the boundaries of aerospace exploration by attempting to become the first person ever to break the speed of sound with his own body. Baumgartner hopes to ascend in a capsule lifted by a helium balloon to the upper reaches of the stratosphere to at least 120,000 feet and, protected by a full-pressure "space suit," launch a freefall jump that could exceed Mach 1.0 -- more than 690 miles per hour -- before parachuting to Earth. If successful, the Red Bull Stratos mission hopes to establish four world records; the data captured by the mission's world-leading scientists could promise new standards in aerospace safety and enhanced possibilities for human flight.In a dramatic landscape draped in black and lit in blue on the 40th floor of a New York high-rise, United States Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Joseph Kittinger, who in 1960 launched a stratospheric jump from 102,800 feet that opened the door for space exploration, and whose records Baumgartner aims to break, introduced the Austrian pilot to media from around the world during a briefing in New York City."People have been trying to break my records for fifty years, and many have died in the attempt," Kittinger said. "But I believe that with our unique assets, an extraordinary mission team, the dedication of Red Bull, and Felix Baumgartner's outstanding skills, Red Bull Stratos will succeed."Kittinger, Baumgartner (best known for being the first person to fly across the English Channel with a carbon wing in 2003), Red Bull Stratos Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Clark and Technical Project Director Art Thompson provided an overview of the mission, which we will expect to launch in North America with a target launch date in 2010."This is truly a step into the unknown. No one can accurately predict how the human body will react in the transition to supersonic speeds," said Baumgartner. "But we've got to find out. Future aerospace programs need a way for pilots and astronauts to bail out at high altitude in case of emergency."Clark, who served as a crew surgeon for six Space Shuttle missions, confirmed that data captured from the mission will be shared with the scientific community, and noted that he expects long-awaited medical protocols to be established as a result. He also commented, "I think one of the most profound benefits of Red Bull Stratos is going to be the inspiration for our youth... The kind of stuff Felix is doing is like the early astronauts and cosmonauts."Red Bull Stratos has secured specialized technical communications from Riedel Communications that will facilitate the coverage of the Red Bull Stratos mission with a live TV broadcast and live webcast delivered by Microsoft Silverlight. In parallel the mission will also be streamed on mobile platforms through a mobile application powered by Ovi by Nokia. Global broadcaster, the BBC, will produce a special 90-minute documentary, which will air exclusively in the US on the National Geographic Channel and be distributed globally to national broadcasters by BBC Worldwide.

The Red Bull Stratos trailer can be viewed and shared at www.redbullstratos.com.A live satellite feed of news footage from the press briefing today in New York will be available for downlink today at 5 p.m. EST via the coordinate details below:US BROADCASTERS 17.00 EST/ 22.00 - 17.15 EST/ 22.15 GMTPlease access the feed by using the 'Treehouse loop #1407', at Ascent New York (also known as the Waterfront Switch).For hi-res images, B-Roll, web videos, and additional press materials, throughout the project please visit: www.redbullstratos.com/newsroom.Notes to editors:Red Bull Stratos content can also be accessed as well as other Red Bull productions at www.redbullcontentpool.com.

BBC Documentary:An exclusive, all access documentary about the Red Bull Stratos project is being produced by the BBC and National Geographic. The feature-length film, "SPACE DIVE," will premiere in the US on National Geographic Channel and in the UK on BBC-2 a few weeks after the jump in 2010. It will be aired across the rest of the world soon after. "SPACE DIVE," the 90 minute documentary about Red Bull Stratos is being globally licensed and distributed to broadcasters by BBC Worldwide.

Red Bull Stratos is proud to share this mission with the following partners:NokiaAs the official global mobile sponsor, Nokia has developed the Red Bull Stratos application to monitor this groundbreaking project. Available exclusively through Ovi Store by Nokia, users can learn more about the mission's progress by reading articles and watching videos from the Red Bull Stratos team of experts. Nokia users can also follow the countdown, stream the final jump in real-time and watch Felix Baumgartner's pulse race by monitoring his biometrical data before, during and after the jump. Once complete, the app will deliver unique content about mission Red Bull Stratos direct to handset. For more information please visit http://www.ovi.com.

Defense News ~ HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NACE International, The Corrosion Society, has released details for the upcoming CORROSION 2010 Conference & Expo, the world’s largest annual conference dedicated to mitigating the costly global impact of corrosion. Recently, the annual cost of corrosion of the world’s critical infrastructure was found to be over $1.8 trillion by the World Corrosion Organization.The annual event will take place in San Antonio, Texas, March 14 to 18, 2010 and will deliver a comprehensive array of meetings and symposia across a broad spectrum of industries. CORROSION 2010 details can be found at http://events.nace.org/conferences/c2010/c2010.asp.CORROSION 2010 will bring together more than 5,000 corrosion industry leaders, executives, and decision makers for workshops, forums, and events. Additionally, over 350 exhibitors from around the world will round out a comprehensive look at the corrosion industry. NACE Annual Conference is the largest corrosion-industry conference in the world.CORROSION 2010 will include special forums for industries that include Oil, Gas, & Pipeline, including speakers from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); Water/Waste Water; Power Generation & Nuclear Power, Transmission & Distribution; Offshore & Deepwater Oil Exploration; Powder Coatings; Marine & Shipbuilding; and much more.This year will again feature Corrosion & Punishment, one of the most popular forums ever at CORROSION. New in 2010 will be a concurrent event, the Corrosion Management Conference, designed for management involved in asset integrity, risk and life-cycle management, maintenance optimization, and corrosion control for the oil and gas pipeline industry.The Advanced Program for this 64-year-old event is available online. Attendees, participants, and exhibitors from around the world are encouraged to review the program and register today.

NACE International, The Corrosion Society, based in Houston, Texas, has over 22,000 members in 110 countries. It is recognized worldwide as the largest professional association dedicated to protecting people, assets, and the environment from the impact of corrosion. It was founded in 1943, and offers technical training and certification programs, sponsors conferences, and produces industry standards, reports, publications, and software to prevent and mitigate corrosion.

Defense News ~ STRATFORD, Conn., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today formally opened its new Precision Components Technology Center, launching a new path toward strategic competitive excellence beginning with the manufacture of CH-53K heavy lift helicopter components. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060403/SIKORSKYLOGO ) The center will produce major dynamic components of the CH-53K helicopter such as rotating and stationary swashplates, main and tail rotor hubs, and main rotor sleeves. It will showcase the magnitude of the CH-53K helicopter and the unique production challenges presented by its size and technological complexity. Forgings to be machined in the center, for example, will be twice the size of the largest forging produced at the facility to date.Of UTC's total investment of $130 million in the program, Sikorsky has committed more than $20 million to the Precision Components Technology Center."Sikorsky's investment in this new technology center is further evidence of the company's commitment to the CH-53K helicopter program," said Mark Cherry, Vice President, Marine Corps Programs. "The heavy lift mission is critical; the size and complexity of the CH-53K helicopter's critical parts necessitated a center dedicated to its production and design iterations as we continue on our path to first flight. We expect the technology center to leverage a number of the manufacturing improvements incorporated in the development of this aircraft, including identifying critical part characteristics to align with manufacturing process capability."The center currently employs eight personnel.The Precision Components Technology Center was designed to allow the development of new product lines with "zero setup time" and quick changeover from one component to another. The equipment in the center has the capability to produce any precision rotor and drive system dynamic component including legacy configurations.Mick Maurer, Senior Vice President of Sikorsky Operations, said the center's primary focus will be to support the dynamic components of the CH-53K System Development and Demonstration program, but the facility also was created with an eye toward the future."The grand opening of the Precision Components Technology Center marks a significant program milestone that demonstrates our commitment to the U.S. Marine Corps and the development of the next generation CH-53K heavy lift helicopter. As we expand our global footprint, Sikorsky continues to invest in state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities that offer a unique competitive advantage in the advancement of flight-critical dynamic component technologies," Maurer said.Sikorsky Aircraft received a $3 billion System Development and Demonstration contract on April 5, 2006 to develop a replacement for the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E heavy lift helicopter. The new aircraft program is planned to include production of more than 200 new aircraft. Development money and production quantities will be determined year-by-year over the life of the program based on funding allocations set by Congress and Pentagon acquisition priorities.Its predecessor, the three-engine Sikorsky CH-53E SUPER STALLION™ helicopter, is the largest, most powerful marinized helicopter in the world. It is deployed from Marine Corps amphibious assault ships and land bases to transport personnel and equipment and to carry external (sling) cargo loads.The CH-53K helicopter will maintain virtually the same footprint as the CH-53E aircraft, but will nearly triple the payload to 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles under "hot high" ambient conditions. The CH-53K helicopter's maximum gross weight (MGW) with internal loads is 74,000 pounds compared to 69,750 pounds for the CH-53E aircraft. The CH-53K helicopter's MGW with external loads is 88,000 pounds as compared to 73,500 for the CH-53E helicopter.Features of the CH-53K helicopter include: a joint interoperable glass cockpit; fly-by-wire flight controls; fourth generation rotor blades with anhedral tips; a low-maintenance elastomeric rotor head; upgraded engines; a locking cargo rail system; external cargo handling improvements; survivability enhancements; and reduced operation and support costs.Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning potential production and sale of helicopters. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans or availability of funding or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Defense News ~ GROTON, Conn., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $118 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to continue concept studies, engineering and design of a Common Missile Compartment for the United Kingdom's Successor ballistic-missile submarine and the U.S. Ohio replacement submarine. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).The award modifies a $76 million contract announced in December 2008 for engineering, technical services, concept studies and design of a Common Missile Compartment for the next-generation ballistic missile submarines under development for the Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy.If all options are exercised and funded, the overall contract would have a value of more than $600 million.General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,300 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

Defense News ~ KABUL, Afghanistan, January 22 /PRNewswire/ -- TS2 Satellite Technologies company is introducing new broadband services on Eutelsat EB4 & W6 satellites to the Afghan market.These types of telecommunication products are mainly used by the companies that execute contracts in Asia, as well as by the soldiers that are stationed in Afghanistan. Purchased bands gives TS2 unlimited possibilities of configuration and setting any telecommunication connections from the Near East region and South-Western Asia.The broadband service offers two-way high-speed Internet access with no phone lines, no cable, no dial-up modem. It's always online, available virtually anywhere, and affordable. The offered satellite system is ideally suited for broadband requirements such as Internet and VPN access to enterprise networks, as well as real-time VoIP and video conferencing.The Internet connection can be shared with other users via wireless or wired network. Most soldiers deploy with a laptop in hand and a hookup to the Internet in their barracks. This is especially important for the many who are married, and have young children. The Internet access has resulted in major morale improvements. Troops no longer feel cut off from home.Not all the Internet connectivity is just for staying in touch with the folks back home. The troops in Afghanistan use the Internet a lot for professional tasks, and not all of them are official business. Some troops blog, and many other stay in touch with military friends and associates in other parts of the world. The Internet has made possible many online communities composed of military professionals.Without the new satellite system, large numbers of soldiers will be without regular communications for much or most of their time in Afghanistan. The infrastructure is spartan to non-existent.More information on http://www.ts2.pl/en/Internet-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan

Defense News ~ DUBLIN--January 22, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "Indian Land Combat Systems Market Assessment" to their offering. (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/deef2e/indian_land_combat)"Indian Land Combat Systems Market Assessment"The Indian Army's Innovative Makeover Strategy is set to Spur the Indian Land Combat Systems MarketThe Indian army's strategy to upgrade itself with advanced technology along with the socio-political environment in South Asia is driving the Indian land combat systems market. The relationship between the public and private sector enterprises is going to prove critical for this market to experience significant growth in the next decade. "The Indian army's strategy to upgrade obsolete platforms and technologies is the major driver for this market," says the analyst of this research. "Investments for the procurement of new platforms are expected to increase over the next decade with regional and internal security high priority for the Indian defence establishment." India has a host of potential regional aggressors that is driving the country to invest in advanced defence technologies to gain an edge over its adversaries. Moreover, India faces internal security issues with separatist sentiments and potential threat from naxalites high in several regions.However, a key challenge for the Indian land combat systems market is the public-private partnership (PPP). Although this issue is perceived negatively by the media and the common man, PPP will play a significant role in propelling the Indian defence industry to its zenith in the coming years. Additionally, understanding implementation pipelines is critical for the growth of this market. "As some procurement happens over a period of more than a decade, the timing of arrival of orders is critical," explains the analyst. "The government should manage its resources with utmost diligence to overcome this challenge."Market participants should provide integrated solutions, identify effective business partners, and develop efficient supply-chain strategies. "Soldier modernisation programmes and the increasing use of electronics equipment could offer considerable revenue potential in the form of support contracts and life capability management," concludes the analyst. "The Indian army's expenditure on land-based training and simulation is anticipated to be $261.4 million by 2019, spurred on by increased procurement of land based platforms."Market SectorsExpert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:*Main battle tanks*Artillery*Missiles*Vehicles*Communication*FirearmsThis Frost & Sullivan research service titled Indian Land Combat Systems Market Assessment identifies the major procurement programmes of the Indian army over the next decade. The objective of this research service is to provide market forecasts for land combat systems from 2009 to 2019. It also aims to capture the critical issues that drive and restrain the market and addresses the major challenges facing the Indian land combat market. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following market segments: main battle tanks, artillery, missiles, vehicles, communication, and firearms.Key Topics Covered:1. Executive Summary2. Research Methodology3. Industry Challenges, Market Drivers and Restraints4. Country Analysis5. Key Programs6. Indian Land Combat Systems Market Forecasts7. Future Programs Under Consideration from the Indian Army8. Strategic Recommendations and ConclusionsFor more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/deef2e/indian_land_combat